Ethiopia on Saturday launched a program aimed at rehabilitating and training ex-militants in the northern Tigray region, according to local media reports.
The program was officially launched in Tigray’s capital Mekelle, marking a key step in the reintegration of former fighters following years of conflict, reported state-owned Fana Broadcasting Corporation.
The event was attended by key officials, including Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos, Tigray Interim President Getachew Reda, and several international representatives, such as Major General Radina Stephen from the African Union and Sophie Fromm-Emmesberger, the EU's Ambassador to Ethiopia.
Also, religious leaders, elders, and ex-militants who have already benefited from the program took part in the event.
Health checks
During the rehabilitation and demobilization process, participants will first undergo orientation, registration, and health checks, and receive essential resources.
The second and third days of the program will focus on social and psychological education, aimed at preparing the ex-militants for reintegration into their communities.
On November 21, 320 former militants who had surrendered their weapons to the National Defense Force arrived at the Mekelle Rehabilitation Training Center.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to disarm 75,000 ex-combatants across three centers in Mekelle, Idaga Hamus, and Adwa districts of Tigray over the next four months.
Millions displaced
The Tigray conflict, which began in November 2020 after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) attacked federal military bases, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced millions.
Hostilities subsided after the signing of cease-fire agreements in Pretoria and Nairobi in November 2022.
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